I was DELIGHTED with the response to a picture I recently posted of some vegan ribs that I made. I've had SO many request for the recipe....

This  amazing recipe  first came my way,many years ago, from friends at http://www.thefarmcommunity.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Farm Community. The original recipe required making a whole grain dough ball and kneading it under cold water over and over until all of the starch was removed and the water clear...then massaging the warm ingredients into the 'ribs'. This took a lot of time, work and dedication. Back then, I'd only make them rarely - usually as a birthday treat for myself. I once took some to work, many years ago when I was driving truck. A co-worker, Davids Gilliam tasted them and said: "hey Louie, how did you get the bones out leaving the ribs together?"  The recipe has been twirled, tweaked,twerked and spun, MANY times. If you've tried Morningstar Farms BBQ Riblets, please KNOW, they taste like crap in comparison to these delicious delectable delights! This recipe is  epicurean alchemy - also KNOW, these are 100% free of cholesterol AND high protein! 

The recipe below is really easy - if I can make them YOU CAN!

Key: LET THEM SIT,at least, OVER NIGHT ! the texture
IMPROVES!

 some barbecue sauce a bottle or so, or , homemade

2 cups vital wheat gluten (ck Marc's - under $5 for  bag that has much for than 2 cups in it)

1 - 1/2 onions ,  finely chopped - I usually use a nice medium + a small. (note from experience, more onion doesn't make these better)
2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

2 tsp paprika (I've used good, smoked paprika and cheap crap - still comes out great!)

1 tsp sea salt

2 cups warm vegetable stock - 

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter , other nut butter or soynut butter

1/3 cup olive oil

I add about  1/4 C of ground flax, mostly for added health benefit

a nice splash of liquid smoke - I put this into the broth

1)  SLOWLY Saute the onion and oil in a pan until the onion becomes translucent  Set aside. - KEY: DONT RUSH THIS STEP! dont caramelize! If you try to rush this step, you'll be sorry - add the garlic while the onions are getting done

2) mix  all of the dried ingredients in a bowl, set aside. Whisk together all of the wet ingredients, (including the onion mixture) and add to the dry ingredients, mixing with your hands until a large ball is formed. The mixture should all come together, and will be slightly moist.  Note: I mix the warm broth, onions and garlic into the peanut butter to break it down to liquid

3) Press the mixture into a lightly greased, or not greased  baking dish so that it is even. Fork it - poke holes in it, and score some 'rib' lines. . Bake in a 350 degree oven, for about 30 minutes. I cut them into about 6 hunks and flip them w/a spatula (for spatula techniques, see: SpongeBob ) . Baste with 1/3 of the barbecue sauce, flip, and  slather with  barbecue sauce. Finish baking for an additional 20 minutes. Cut or tear them apart and serve with more sauce. I like to put a bit of coconut or olive oil in a cast iron pan and singe them a bit - with a bit of additional bbq sauce, or, put them on a grill and baste w/some bbq sauce.

Another Key: when they're finished baking, they're really not done. I don't understand the epicurean alchemy, but LET THEM SIT IN THE OVEN. (AFTER BAKING-OVEN OFF/COOLED) THE TEXTURE GETS BETTER the next day, and, some(me) say, even better the second day!!!!